Time flies when your having fun :-)

Wow how the months just keep flying by. As usual so many new things happen in Kailyn's life each month. Too much for me to be able to remember or write about everything in the last few months since my last post. So I am just going to try and recap on a few important things I would like to have posted for memories, or what I actually still remember. lol

Breaking the Bottle

I wouldn't say this was hard to do, as we really didn't push it. I just don't want her to grow up too fast. But we have now packed away all Ba Ba's and she only has her sippy cups. She has only been using the bottle at night since she turned one. It wasn't until about 2 weeks ago that we tried the sippy and she did really well. She didn't finish all, but even now some nights she just doesn't want it all. And then others she does. It really seems to depend on how big of a dinner she has. This girl can eat and Sunday night after a huge plate of lasagna she just was too full for more than a few sips of her milk.

She also no longer needs rocked to sleep. I still miss those nights and probably will for a long time to come. :*( Even when I try now she just wants you to put her in her crib. She is great at self soothing now.

Too tired to make it through lunch!

Rear facing car seat

Not too much on this subject besides the fact that she is still rear facing. New studies suggest keeping them rear facing until two now instead of changing at one. After doing a lot of our own research on the subject we felt what was best for our daughter is to just keep her rear facing for now. It doesn't bother her at all. She doesn't know any different so why would it. Plus around her 1st Birthday we bought a portable DVD player that mounts to my head rest on my car. I have head rests on the back seats also so we just put it there for now, and when we turn her we will put it on the front seat headrest. She just loves watching her movies now in the car. It's really the only time she will pay attention to movies/TV. She just doesn't have the attention span for TV yet. Would rather be running around at home than sitting in front of the TV, which is fine by me.

But she is still constantly growing and her legs are starting to get a bit cramped. More so in Chris's truck than in my car. So I can't say for sure if we will keep her this way until she is two, but for now she stays rear. Also for those that have little ones that are still rear, you may know how it gets to be a bit difficult getting them in their seat as they get bigger and still being rear.

Watching her Word World

Talking, babbling

Since she started with sounds this girl loves to "chat". I mean she is a girl. ;-) She now has many words in her vocabulary. And the last month it's amazing how much she is starting to understand so much of what we say. She knows where almost all her major body parts are. She says various words and animal sounds such as duck, quack, dog, JD (one of our dogs), good ole Mama and Dada, Nana, Up, please, ball and a few others. We have these flash cards I just love. Baby's 1st words, animals, ect.. They are big, thick and sturdy so even when she tries to crumble them they really don't like the other thin ones. It was through these cards that she has learned a lot of her words. Show her the fish and she still won't say that word but will immediately make fish lips, dog she knows and will bark, cow she moos, cat she meows and so on. She had a little cold over the weekend and I said Eww you have boogies, so she starts picking her nose. I can give her a tissue and she will try to blow. After dinner now she likes to have a napkin to wipe her face.

Never a dull day with her, she will always put a smile on our face each day.

Swimming, water slides. Lot's of summer fun

Most kids I'm sure love the water, Kailyn is definitely no exception to this. Pool, water slides, water table, bath, puddles. If it's water she loves it. We had our first trip to a local water park with Kailyn's cousins and Aunt and Uncle. Of course she had a blast. Wanted to go down the slide without me! She also now goes down the slide by herself on the home water slide blow ups. My brother has a big one that we had at her birthday party and she loves going to their house to play on it. Her and her two cousins will play for hours on that thing. We just recently bought one for our house we found on sale. She has a blast.

In the bath now she constantly tries to kick, swim and float on her back. This she learned from her swim classes. She will definitely miss the water once it is winter again. Although our winters don't last very long so water fun will not be missed for long!

Having a popsicle with her cousin

Swim class w/Mommy

Those pesky dang teeth

Kailyn now has all her teeth except the four two year molars. She got in her four canines shortly after she turned one. Those were NOT fun for Kailyn or Mommy and Daddy. Up all night, horrible red butt, diarrhea and even low grade fevers. I even bought her an Amber teething necklace  to try out to help with the pain from her teeth. Of course, not realizing how long mail take's from Europe to get here, I received the necklace two days after her last canine broke through. Oh well, we still have the 4 two year molars. I am sure the two year molars will start coming in soon, seeing she got the rest of her teeth so young.

Bumps,bruises and bloody lips

Shortly after walking then comes running.......or at least trying to! Kailyn started really walking right when she turned one. I say "really" walking because this is when she started to really take off on her own. She had been walking short distances a few weeks before that, but suddenly she got the hang of it and was everywhere. Then just a few weeks later she was trying to walk quickly, run. This is when the real accidents started to happen. She has had not one, not two, but three bloody lips from falling and her teeth cutting her upper lip. And boy do those bleed! First time Mommy freaked out. Second time I freaked out but not as bad. Third time I calmly took her to the sink and got out her Elmo boo boo thing from the fridge and handed it to her, which immediately stops the crying. I have learned she is a pretty tough cookie. I know this is just the beginning of many accidents to come, I just pray none are are too bad.

Some not so fun phases

Since Kailyn turned one we have started experiencing some not so pleasant "phases". Screaming. Everywhere. All day. Not exaggerating. I am happy to say this phase has ended for now. It lasted about 3 weeks and was not fun for a very stressed out Mommy and Daddy. I read a little about it and realize it had a lot to do with her wanting to express herself and communicate with us, but obviously not able to speak to us yet. It was so bad we didn't even go to dinner or anywhere we couldn't leave real fast. I think it also had a little bit to do with her teeth that were coming in at that time. Sometimes when she would scream she would try to shove her fist or any object in her mouth to bite on while yelling.

Taking off is another phase (not sure this is actually a phase) she is still going through. Anywhere we go now she wants to be down. She no longer likes to sit out to dinner. She used to be so good when we would take her as long as you had food in front of the lil porker. Now she wants down after 5 minutes. Same thing with going to the store or anywhere for that matter. Now that she is a very experienced walker she wants to do just that.....everywhere. She is a little girl on a mission somewhere everywhere we go!

Kailyn also can be so affectionate now. If you ask for hugs or kisses she will come and give you one. I just LOVE this. I have been waiting for this. She also now understands when she hits it can make people sad. So if she hits you and you make a sad face she will then rub your arm or face and try to give you a kiss. It almost makes you want her to hit you, it's so dang cute when she does that after. She is definitely not your mild tempered, sit like a good girl and behave type of toddler. She also is not the most horribly behaved child, but she is very determined and such a personality. And even though she can be such a pain at times, I wouldn't change a thing about her and love her just the same. We just try and hope our parenting skills mold her into a wonderful individual as she gets older.

Last piece of news is that Kailyn started preschool last week. She still cries every time I drop her off, but we knew this would take some time adjusting for her. Also going only three days a week it may take a bit longer to get used to. She loves kids but definitely takes some time for her to warm up to adults. She has never been the type to let someone she doesn't know just take her and hold her. She has to know you pretty well to feel comfortable being alone with you. She is getting better, though. She even likes for my brother to hold her now. :-)

Parachute fun @ The Lil Gym

Issa and Kailyn= too, too cute!

Told you I wasn't exaggerating when I said she takes off

Best Friends do everything together

Having fun with friends

Hanging with Daddy on the boat

C taking K for a spin!

C and K having a morning snack on the 4th of July

Practice makes perfect at The Lil Gym

Swim lessons, 1st shiner and more teeth!

We recently signed Kailyn up for swim/survival lessons. I was hesitant at first, but after watching her the past 4 weeks (she goes 2x a week) I now wonder why any parent would not have their child in some sort of swim class. She really is doing great. I was amazed how she was already reaching for the wall after just two lessons. And she no longer swallows water when she goes under. This will be our last week for her private lessons, then in two more weeks we are going to do a parent/child swim class for 2 weeks, 3x a week. Then depending how things are, and also depending on money as the private lessons are great but not cheap, we may do another 5 weeks of the private lessons starting mid July.
*Click picture album below to see pictures*

Kailyn learning survival/swim

1st shiner :-(

Kailyn is now full throttle and all over the place....which has resulted in her 1st shiner. :-( Daddy was giving her a bath and she wanted to stand up, which is her new thing ALL the time! She was trying to stand up and down she went, her left cheek bone hitting the tub. This = immediate shiner. She really didn't cry that much. She is a pretty tough cookie. Then after that came a bruise/bump on her forehead @ the sitters, followed a few days later by a bloody lip! She is reckless and ruthless! lol She actually really isn't that bad, she is just trying to add speed to her walking and it's taking some getting used to.....with some bumps and bruises along the way!

Hanging out with her best bud ♥

Kailyn has now added another tooth to her mouth of many. ;-) Her top left canine. The top right is very close to cutting and the bottom two canines are not far behind. These have been REALLY hard on Kailyn. They have brought with them diaper rash, low grade fevers, a LOT of uncomfortableness and loose stools. Some of these symptoms I never even knew were related to teething until other Moms told me. I was shocked when she got this horrible diaper rash. She has pretty much never had one since she was born. I busted out the butt pastes but that didn't even help much. It was so raw looking! I was told that long ago mother's called the canine teeth the stomach teeth, because they mess with the babies stomachs by causing the loose stools and horrible rashes. Well I believe it because I have seen it for myself. Teething has never been super easy for Kailyn but these canines have been the worst by far! I would say even more so than when she got her molars.

Playing w/Bambi @ her friend Josie's Birthday party

We also had family pictures done the weekend after Kailyn turned one. Click album below to view them. If any of the family would like any please let me know and I can either print for you or send you the original without the photographers name on them.

fAMILY PICS 2011

Catching up

Well seeing that I am over 2 weeks late of an 11 month post, I am just labeling this one as a "Catch up" post.  I have been dreading doing this post, but have told myself I must! Seeing as Kailyn's baby book is now a long lost cause (empty after month 2), I told myself I must keep up with her blog.  Especially as I am always asking my dear fried when she did this or that with her son? And her response is always, I'm not sure read my blog. I am finding myself already doing the same thing as the first few months are more vague now.  Plus I loved reading my baby book my Mom recently gave me, so of course I hope Kailyn enjoys hers one day too.
So now, on to trying to remember all the many important things the last month and a half.  And in your child's life of course almost everything is important that they do! I'll start with the basics. Sleep is still good. With the exception of a cold or teeth really bothering her, her sleep is still from about 8pm-7am.  And I always stress ABOUT, as we too have those nights were she will be up 3-4 times during the night. Let's face it people, babies don't come programmed with 10 hours of sleep every night of every week! In our dream world...yes, maybe.

Well I obviously never finished this post as Kailyn is now our ONE year old daughter!!! One year and 2 1/2 weeks to be precise. lol  So I am going to try to finally finish my first post in 2 1/2 months. First, here are Kailyn's stats as of her one year check up.

Playing on her B-day with her new "water park" from Uncle B & Aunt Mel

Height: 29 1/2

Weight: 20lbs 14 oz

Sleep: 8pm, usually sleeping until about 7am

Teeth: 12- we now have added four molars to her other teeth

Food: EVERYTHING! This little girl is a very good eater. Everyone that goes to eat with us can't believe how much this little girl can stuff in that tiny belly! No more formula. She is now just having a little whole milk in the morning with breakfast and a bottle (still haven't taken the night bottle from her) She really wasn't drinking much formula the last two months. And the last few weeks before she turned one we took away the bottle (except night one) so she really wasn't drinking during the day as she hates milk out of a sippy. She drinks her water or juice from one with NO problem. Has a variety of cups and has never been picky about using certain ones. Just doesn't care for her milk in them. At at her one year check up I asked her Dr about this. He asked if she eats yogurt or cheese, I said every day. He said that is plenty of dairy. Not to worry. So our next challenge is to take away her last night time bottle. :-(

The past two months has brought so many firsts for Kailyn. We had our first trip to Disney the first week of April. I was in a very good friend's wedding which was held in Orlando. My Mom came with us so she could help out with Kailyn, as I was in the wedding party. We stayed the weekend at the resort for the wedding and then headed over to Disney area Sunday. My brother and SIL with my niece and nephew were already waiting for us at a town house we had rented. They had arrived the day before. We really weren't sure how Kailyn would like the parks, as she was just turning 11 months that weekend and some people (you know, the one's that like to give their opinions w/out being asked) said she may be too young.  Well she shocked Mommy and Daddy how much she truly enjoyed the parks! She may not remember it, but at the present time she had a blast and that's all that matters to me.  She LOVED the characters, which shocked me also.  She hated Santa when she was 6 months, so I wasn't sure about her liking them. She even had a little tantrum a few times when we had to say goodbye to them. She especially liked Rafiki, the monkey character at Animal Kingdom. We went to Animal Kingdom one day also, along with Epcot and downtown Disney. We headed home on Wednesday, and by then everyone was ready! I felt like I needed another day vacation to sleep! lol

While we were on vacation Kailyn also started taking steps for my Mom! She was just turning 11 months that weekend we were there.  She didn't become a full fledged walker until about 2 weeks later, but she would take 4-6 steps at a time. I couldn't believe it, I thought for some reason she would definitely not be walking until after her 1st B-day.  Well by her 1st  b-day she was definitely walking. And now 2 weeks later she is already trying to run!! I love the frankenstein walk of babies. It is so cute. And unlike what others have said, so far I like the walking SO much better than crawling. I know, I know. Wait until she is running, but whatever! It was just creeping me out.  I'm a sanitary type of girl, so the crawling all over floors thing was getting to me.  Especially when she would then stick her pacifier (her two middle fingers) in her mouth!! I couldn't follow her around with a wipe all day!! I actually was pretty laid back in Disney. I didn't even wipe the rides down when we went on them. ;-) Just too much going on to worry about that. We also used to be kinda strict......well I shouldn't say strict, we just had only fed her healthy organic food up until our trip to Orlando.  At that point she was pretty much eating all solid foods.  Wanted NOTHING to do with purees anymore. Well I couldn't very well pack my fridge with us on this trip.  So I got to thinking that we may have to give her *gasp* fast food! Ok stop laughing some of you. Well we did and I'm glad to say she survived just fine. ;-) She had chicken nuggets and sandwiches and burgers. She did get a little constipated on the trip. I think because we always included a course of veggies for her daily meals, and while we were away she didn't get very much. Now a days Mommy is much more relaxed about what we feed her. I still give her lots of fruits and veggies. But occasionally we will have pizza or Taco Tuesday @ Tijuana. :-)
*You can check out a ton of pics from our trip by clicking this link ORLANDO TRIP. These pics are on my facebook as it is too much to keep putting all my pics on Picasa also. Just request me as a friend if you want to see them and we aren't already friends on FB*

Kailyn also had her first Easter last month. The day before Easter we went to Robins Lodge where we met my friends and their kids (Kailyn's friends ;-)), Josie and Mason. They had an Easter egg hunt, the Easter bunny, petting zoo and a few other things.

In petting zoo w/her friend Josie

Josie, Kailyn and Mason @ Robins Lodge

On Easter day we went to my brothers house for a little while during the day and then we went to Grammy's (chris's mom) house for dinner. It was a nice relaxing day. The weekend before Easter I also had some pics taken of Kailyn with a photographer I knew through a friend. She also just did our family and Kailyn's one year pics. Along with a few of my other friends and their children, she individually took pics of each child w/a real bunny and chic she had with her. Here are a few.
*Check out her 11 month album top left of blog to see more Easter pics*

Kailyn also went and had her very first haircut last month. We went the weekend after we got back from our trip. I had trimmed her hair twice before, but I don't do the best job and her hair was all in her eyes, ect.. So we took her for her first professional haircut at a child's salon. She HATED it! lol Screamed, cried the whole time. They gave me a piece of her hair, a certificate and also took an 8x10 photo of her. I thought for $20 that was a pretty good deal.

You can see many more pics of her screaming her head off during her first haircut by checking out her photos in her 11 month album on top left of blog.
Kailyn's 1st B-day came in went in what feels like the blink of an eye. Of course Mommy went over board once I started planning her very 1st party a few months ago. I spent a lot of time and put a ton of love into her party.  With the help of her Aunt Olivia her decorations I made came out great in my opinion. I know I went a little over what I had planned, said I wasn't gonna go too crazy but of course I did! Anyone that knows me, knows I love to throw a party. And this was the most special one of all. My little girl's. The child I cried over many nights before she was ever even conceived. I couldn't help but try to make it the best. And again those people that like to give their opinions will say, but she will never even remember it. She won't, BUT she had a wonderful time AND thanks to her Auntie L's she has a gazillion pics to look at one day. These will definitely show her what a great party she had and how she was loved so much by so many. :*)
Ok before the flood gates open enough of that! Her party turned out great, the weather cleared up just in time. The kids had a blast and all the Moms told me later how the kiddos passed out once they got home. This was thanks to my brother for lending me his awesome inflatable water bounce house/slide. The kids loved it, along with two other pools we had for the littler ones. We had pizza and wings and some other goodies.  You can check out all her many birthday pictures by clicking the album here

Kailyns 1st B-day

and more pics my friend Lauren took in her album here

https://picasaweb.google.com/LKEllison0281/KailynSFirstBirthday?authkey=Gv1sRgCKqEke_Isv7H8QE&feat=content_notification#

For Kailyn's actual Birthday we both had the day off. We started the morning by finally giving Kailyn her Chica doll I had made. Chica is a bird from Sprout TV that Kailyn has loved since she was 5 months old. She doesn't really watch TV for more than a minute or two, but when this bird come's on with it's little squeeking noise Kailyn will stop what she is doing to waive hi. Here is a quick video from that morning.

After that we went to breakfast at the Original Pancake House. Then we took Kailyn for her first visit to Toys R Us! We got her a few things with GC's she had from her party.

At Toys R Us. Of course she liked all the big kid toys.  Mommy told her maybe next year! lol

After that we went home for her nap. When she woke up we took her outside and set up her new "water park" play thing her Uncle Bruce & Aunt Mel got her for her B-day. She loved it! Later we had some of the immediate family over for dinner and cupcakes. It was a nice day. You can click the link below to see pics from her Birthday.

Kailyn's 1st Birthday

This Mother's day was much different than my very first Mother's day last year. I was recovering from a C-section, extremely swollen from fluid retention, had just developed a seroma on my incision area, had bloody boobies from breastfeeding a newborn that was tongue tied & feeling nauseated every time she was ready to feed again from the thought of the pain to come, living off of 2-3 hours sleep at a time from our strictly breastfeeding schedule and just basically trying to understand what was so "beautiful" about child birth. The lactation lady my Mom got me for Mother's day last year was the best part of that day for me. This year was MUCH different. I was able to spend a wonderful relaxing day with the most amazing daughter I could have ever wished for. Chris, Kailyn and I started the day off at the beach. It was beautiful out. We stayed there until her nap time. She didn't want to nap at the beach so we headed home. Later that day we went by my Mom's house for some BBQ dinner. It was a quite and relaxing day, I couldn't have asked for more. I was also surprised with my very first Mothers Day gift from Kailyn (& Daddy). A beautiful ring with my birthstone in it. I already have the pea pod necklace we had made when Kailyn was born with her birthstone, so Daddy and Kailyn thought I might like something with my own stone this time. They did SUCH a great job and I was very surprised.

Mothers Day 511

A few other things that have happened in Kailyn's life the past few months that Mommy can still remember. ;-) She is now down to one nap a day. This started a few weeks before her 1st Birthday and I have her sitter to thank for that. I like the 1 1/2 (sometimes even two!) hour nap much better than the 2-3 half hour catnaps she used to take.

She is now just having a nighttime bottle as I mentioned above. A habit we have to break still. :-( Mommy just love's rocking her to sleep. I have been giving her the bottle now while she watches TV and then rock her a little to sleep after. We will see how that goes. She has all four molars now. And update as of today I now see a canine tooth on the bottom about to break through.

Talks, talks, talks. She babbles constantly. I was like this too from what my Mom says. Chris says his ears are bleeding some days he watches her! lol Here is a video from last month of her babbling away & the one below it is Kailyn on her Birthday playing outside. I'm sure as usual there are many little things she has done the past few months that I already cannot remember. Just enjoying each day with our now "toddler" Kailyn.♥ Still can't believe the baby days have already come and gone....... :*\